Histogram-based enrichment delay

Abstract

A method for regulation of an engine of a vehicle by manner of temperature control delays based on a target temperature of a component of the engine. Once enrichment has been triggered, enrichment is continued to ensure a temperature of the component is below its target for a specified time, thereby ensuring that the temperature of the component has not exceeded its target temperature for more than a certain percentage of its life.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for regulation of an engine component temperature by manner of temperature control delays, comprising: 
       monitoring a temperature of a component of an engine;  
       one of incrementing and decrementing a delay timer based on the temperature of the component relative to a target temperature for the component and a predetermined percentage of time that the component is allowed to exceed the target temperature;  
       triggering enrichment of the component of the engine based on the delay timer;  
       controlling the temperature of the component based on a percentage of a time that the component has spent above the target temperature for the component; and  
       continuing enrichment to ensure that the temperature of the component is below the target temperature for the component for an amount of time;  
       wherein multiple target temperatures and multiple enrichment triggers are used to control the temperature of the component in a histogram-type manner.  
     
     
       2. A computer program stored on a memory configured to be executed by a computer, the computer program comprising program code for regulation of an engine component temperature by manner of temperature control delays in accordance with a method including: 
       monitoring a temperature of a component of an engine;  
       one of incrementing and decrementing a delay timer based on the temperature of the component relative to a target temperature for the component and a predetermined percentage of time that the component is allowed to exceed the target temperature;  
       triggering enrichment of the component of the engine based on the delay timer;  
       controlling the temperature of the component based on a percentage of a time that the component has spent above the target temperature for the component; and  
       continuing enrichment to ensure that the temperature of the component is below the target temperature for the component for an amount of time;  
       wherein multiple target temperatures and multiple enrichment triggers are used to control the temperature of the component in a histogram-type manner.  
     
     
       3. The computer program of  claim 2 , wherein the computer is situated in an engine control unit.